Bed-pan.



No. 657,8l9.

Patented Sept. ll, I900. H. D. GUDDRICH.

BED PAN. (Application filed Mar. 19, 1898. Renewed July 26, 1900.)

(No Model.)

WWII/E8858 ATTORNEYS.

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lTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRIET D. GOODRICH, OF AUGUSTA, GEORGIA.

BED-PAN.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 657,819, datedSeptember 11, 1900.

Application filed March 19, 1898. Renewed July 26, 1900- Elerial No.24.962- Klllo -l To (0Z5 whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, HARRIET D. GOODRIOH, of Augusta, in the county ofRichmond and State of Georgia, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Bed-Pans, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description.

The object of my invention is to construct a bed-pan which will do awaywith the unpleasantness and discomfort of the patient lying on the backand having the vessel placed beneath the body, thus causing the back tocome in contact with so much cold surface, and to construct a bed-panwhich may be safely and comfortably used while the patient is recliningon either side, which pan will be of a thoroughly-sanitary character, ofa neat appearance, and capable of being conveniently handled by anattendant and held in position by the patient with the least possibleamount of exertion.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of theseveral parts, as will be hereinafter fully set forth, and pointed outin the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part ofthis specification, in which similar characters of reference indicatecorresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is an end view of the improved bed-pan in position for use.Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the pan. Fig. 3 is a longitudinalvertical section through the pan, and Fig. 4 is a plan view of theimproved bed-pan.

The pan may be made of any desired material, and its body may be givenany desired contour. Preferably, however, it is mainly rectangular, asillustrated. The bottom 10 of the pan is preferably fiat, as arelikewise both sides 11, the sides and bottom being flat bothlongitudinally and transversely but the sides 11 are given aninclination outwardly in opposite directions from the bottom,whereby thetop of the pan is wider than its bottom portion. The pan is adapted torest upon one or the other of its sides, as shown in Fig. 1, and when soresting will be balanced to such an extent that it cannot easily beturned over. The top portion 12'of the pan ascends from the sides indirection of the longitudinal center, and in the aforesaid top portionof the pan the main opening 13 is produced, and this opening is of ovalform, wide in the reauand narrow in the front and is finished ofi withan outwardly-rounded rim 14, causing the pan to rest securely andcomfortably between the groins and at the same time the rim encirclesthe pelvis and receives the matter expelled without any fear ofaccident.

At the forward end of the opening 13 a horn 15 is formed, which extendsupwardly or outwardly from the upper face of the pan and is of taperingform, being widest at its base, and preferably the side walls of thishorn may be more or less concaved, and the horn terminates at its upperor outer end in a cap 16. This horn is to be grasped in transporting thevessel from place to place, and the upper portion of the horn is usuallymade solid, as shown in Fig. 3. In fact, the horn serves as aretaining-lug, since when the pan is placed in posit-ion for servicethis born or lug is placed between the legs of the patient and thepatient while lying perfectly comfortable on the side will be able tohold the vessel in "position and without tiring the uppermost leg. Thehorn or retaining-lug is provided in the front near its base with anopening 17, which leads into the chamber of the vessel, as is clearlyshown in Fig. 3. A stopper 18 is provided for the opening 17, and at therear end of the vessel an outlet-opening 19 is formed, surrounded,preferably, by a threaded collar 20, which collar is arranged to receivea removable cap 21. The vessel may be flushed through the opening 19,and the contents maybe emptied therefrom at this point.

The rounded rim 14 at the main opening 13 is very convenient for thepatient or the nurse to grasp if there is any likelihood of an accident,and the rim will be finished off so that it may be used to this end.

As heretofore stated, the main object of this pan is to do away with theunpleasantness of lying upon the back and having a vessel placedunderneath the body, thus causing the back to come in contact with aconsiderable cold surface. When the pan is constructed as described, nocold surface need touch the body excepting a ring such as would toocontact with the body in a sitting position in health. Even the frontproject-ion or retaining-lug does not come in contact with the flesh, asthe night-clothing drops naturally between it and the body and withoutany risk whatever of soiling the clothing protects the patient from theshock of a cold surface. The peculiar formation of the vessel and thepresence of the retaining-lug effectually prevents any of the dischargesfrom the body from escaping from the pan when in use.

The opening 17 is employed when the panis used in connection with a malepatient. Otherwise the opening 17 may be closed by the stopper 18, andeven after the opening 17 has been brought into use and then closed bythe stopper 18 the foul gases will be prevented from reaching a nurse orpatient to any serious extent, thereby rendering the vessel exceedinglyvaluable from a sanitary point of view.

The vessel may be applied to a patient, no matter how sick, with butlittle trouble on the part of the operator or inconvenience on the partof the patient.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. A bed-pan having its side surfaces flat andbeveled whereby the said pan is adapted to rest upon either of the saidside surfaces when in use, the pan being further provided with aretaining-lug near one end, adapted to be received between the legs ofthe patient, as and for the purpose set. forth.

2. A bed-pan having its sides flat and beveled, being adapted to restupon either of the said sides when in use and provided with aretaining-lug near one of its ends, shaped to be held between the legsof a patient, the upper opening in the pan being surrounded by anoutwardly-curved rim, whereby the said rim will serve as a handhold inaddition to its function as smooth support for the body I 'vessel, asand for the purpose set forth.

4. A bed-pan provided with flat and beveled sides, being adapted to restupon one of the said sides when in use, and further provided With aretaining-lug near one of its ends, shaped to enter between the legs ofthe patient and to be held thereby, the said retaining-lug having anopening which is in communication with the main chamber of the vessel,the opening in the upper face of the body being surrounded by anoutwardlycurved rim, as and for the purpose specified.

5. A bed-pan the body of which is provided with a flat rim and flatsides, the sides being flat longitudinally and transversely and inclinedfrom thebottom outwardly in opposite directions, the top of the body ofthe vessel being inclined from the sides upwardly in direction of thecenter of the vessel, the said upper surface of the vessel beingprovided with a main opening surrounded by an outwardly-curved rim, anda retaining-lug located nearone end of the vessel, shaped to be receivedbetween the legs of the patient, the said retaining-lug being providedwith an opening which is in communication with the main chamber of thevessel, and means for closing the said opening, as and for the purposespecified.

HARRIET D. GOODRIOH. Witnesses:

P. M. BOYCE, W. S. MORRIS.

